On Sunday, Mark Hughes takes his Carlisle United side to Hertfordshire to take on Luke Garrard’s high flying Boreham Wood.
Both sides have had identical seasons so far and are in third and fifth place with two points separating the two sides.
How Have Both Teams Been Performing?
Boreham Wood have won eight of their last ten games in all competitions. Garrard’s side were promoted last season and have been flying since their return to the National League. The Wood have been carrying their great league form in to the FA Cup as well and are through to the third round.
Last time out Boreham Wood were beating at home on penalties by Brackley Town in the FA Trophy.
The Cumbrians were unbeaten in eleven games from September until November but they then lost back to back games to Blackpool in the FA Cup and Woking in the National League. Mark Hughes’ side are third in the league but level on points with the two sides above them.
Last time out Carlisle beat Harborough Town 2-1 away from home in the FA Trophy.
Previous Meeting
In the reverse fixture back in August the two sides played out a very entertaining 3-3 draw at Brunton Park. Luke Norris gave Boreham Wood the lead in the first half before two quick fire goals from Georgie Kelly and Regan Linney turned the game on its head. Regan Linney then got his second and the Cumbrians’ third of the game to seemingly put the blues out of sight. The game then turned on its head again thanks to another goal from Luke Norris and a late equaliser from Charlie O’Connell to earn The Wood a deserved draw.
With Boreham Wood being a huge attacking threat and having great home form I think Hughes may go narrow and tough to break down in this one. Keep it tight and hit on the break with the pace of Linney and then Williams off the bench in the second half would be the order of the day for me.
This will be a very tough game where we can’t afford any defensive mistakes like we’ve seen in recent weeks. Boreham Wood have plenty of players that can hurt us such as Erico Sousa, Zak Brunt, Matt Rush, Abdul Abdulmalik and Luke Norris.
My Score Prediction
Boreham Wood 3-2 Carlisle United
I’m expecting another entertaining game like the reverse fixture but Boreham Wood are flying and scoring lots of goals and I expect Carlisle’s defence to struggle to contain them. First goal is key given the confidence of both teams.
If the Carlisle defence can get to grips with the Boreham Wood attack early on that could set the tone for the rest of the match and give the forwards confidence to get forward and cause problems of their own.
Sadly I think we may come up just short in a very difficult game.
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On Sunday, Mark Hughes’ Carlisle United travel to Bloomfield Road to take on Ian Evatt’s League One Blackpool in the second round of the FA Cup.
In the previous round, Blackpool beat National League side Scunthorpe United 1-0 and Carlisle came from two goals down to beat League One side Reading 3-2 after extra time.
How Have Both Teams Been Performing?
Blackpool are winless in their last four games. Their last victory in all competitions was a 3-1 win at home against Cardiff City. They have lost to Tranmere in the EFL trophy, lost to Burton Albion Reading and drew with ten man Leyton Orient in League One.
Last time out Blackpool were beaten 4-2 at Harrogate in the EFL Trophy.
Carlisle United are unbeaten in their last eleven games, winning nine and drawing two of those. The Cumbrians’ last defeat came at home to Rochdale at the end of September but since then they have beaten Boston United twice, Reading in the cup, Scunthorpe, Southend, Hartlepool, Forest Green and Halifax, the two draws came against Yeovil and Eastleigh.
Last time out Mark Hughes’ side saw off a spirited Tamworth side at Brunton Park in a hard fought 2-1 victory.
In the last round Blackpool saw of National League side Scunthorpe 1-0 at Bloomfield Road meanwhile Carlisle United beat League One side Reading 3-2 after extra time.
Players To Watch
Ashley Fletcher
The 30-year-old striker is Blackpool’s main goal threat. The former Manchester United, Sunderland and Middlesbrough forward has lots of experience and will run all day for the team. His movement and ability to find space in the box will cause the Carlisle defenders some problems.
Fletcher has seven goals and two assists in all competitions in a struggling side so far this season.
George Honeyman
The 31-year-old attacking midfielder is one of the leaders in this Blackpool side. The former Sunderland, Hull and Millwall player is very experienced and will keep the League One side ticking with the ball. His ability to find the killer pass in the final third will be something the Cumbrians will have to look out for.
Honeyman has one goal and one assist so far this season but has been in and out of the side due to injury.
Tom Bloxham
The 22-year-old striker is another goal threat for Ian Evatt’s side. His link up with Fletcher and ability to hold the ball up and link the the play will be something Carlisle’s defence will have to keep close tabs on to nullify the Blackpool attack.
Bloxham has struggled so far this season but has two goals and one assist so far to his name in a struggling Blackpool side.
Oliver Casey
The 24-year-old defender has been a consistent performer in recent years for Blackpool and despite their poor form this season he’s been one of the better performers. His clearances and defensive blocks are one of the best in League One and he’s a threat from set pieces at the other end as well.
Casey could really be a difference maker in both boxes and potentially a match winner.
I think Mark Hughes will rotate in some areas for this game but he won’t want to rotate too much and change that winning formula. I can see one of Macadam or Gilliead getting a rest and maybe Davies coming in at right back and a rest for one of Williams or Luamba. Harry Lewis will play in goal as he’s started in the previous two cup games.
My Score Prediction
Blackpool 1-2 Carlisle United (AET)
I think this game maybe goes the distance, Blackpool’s poor form matched with Carlisle’s great form could be the recipe for a classic FA Cup upset. Carlisle beat a League One side to get here and there’s no reason it can’t be done again. The gap from the top of the National League to the bottom of League one has probably never been closer than it is right now.
I’m going 2-1 Carlisle United and another cup upset but I think we may need extra time to do it.
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Thank you everyone for reading Paddock Perception, your support means everything! Please don’t forget you can follow Dan and Craig on X for more football content:
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Carlisle United succumbed to their first home defeat of the season and their second loss in consecutive games as a brace from Emmanuel Dieseruvwe gave an excellent Rochdale side all three points at Brunton Park.
Jim McNulty’s side were looking to make it six wins in as many games in this visit to fellow National League big hitters Carlisle and made a perfect start to the game after a long spell of possession led to Sam Beckwith being played in down United’s right flank and his cut back finding Dieseruvwe, who just about squirmed the ball over the line at the near post to give Rochdale the lead.
Rochdale knew a win would see them move, albeit temporarily, top of the National League table and looked every bit the team that their position suggested, dominating possession and controlling the game in the opening 10 minutes or so, with Carlisle really labouring to try and get the ball and struggling to string multiple passes together. The Dale almost doubled their lead in the 16th minute as Tobi Adebayo-Rowling found Connor McBride just inside the area before McBride spun onto his left foot round the challenge of Callum Whelan, but his curling effort struck the foot of Gabe Breeze’s right hand post.
The visitors continued to keep full cotrol of the game, with Harvey Gilmour superbly dictating the play in the middle of the park, United manager Mark Hughes made the early decision to switch away from the 3-5-2 that they’d initially set up with and reverted back to the 4-2-3-1 that they’d used frequently up to this game.
The change did little to impact the flow of the match however and Rochdale had another great chance to double their lead as a short pass from Bevis Mugabi sold Morgan Feeney short and allowed Kevin Berkoe to nip in and square the ball to Devante Rodney, but Dale’s number 10 slipped as he went to unleash a left footed shot towards goal.
The hosts enjoyed a brief spell of possession after the opportunity and Josh Williams, in for his first appearance of the season, drove inside and found Regan Linney on the edge of the area, but the league’s top scorer’s effort was tame and straight into the arms of Oliver Whatmuff.
McBride was causing United all sorts of problems down the other end however and will have been kicking himself as he missed two good chances to extend Rochdale’s lead, first spinning Cameron Harper after latching onto a Dieseruvwe flick on and only finding the hands of Breeze after driving into the area. McBride then pressured Terrell Thomas into a mistake from a long ball over the top before cutting inside onto his left foot but again his effort was easily palmed away by Breeze.
Carlisle’s flanks were looking particularly exposed in this game and Berkoe once again got to their byline before cutting it back and finding McBride, but again he could only fire his effort well over the crossbar at the near post. McBride was causing all sorts of issues for the Blues and the ex Gateshead man popped up again moments later, feeding Kyron Gordon down the right hand side who cut back to Dieseruvwe, but the ball was a little too far behind Rochdale’s top scorer and he could only scoop the ball over the bar.
The Cumbrians were desperately looking to make up for their 5-0 thrashing away to York in mid week and had an opportunity to snatch an equaliser just before the break as Feeney whipped in a cross that found Harper around the penalty spot, but he fluffed his lines and hit a tame effort wide when he probably should have gone with his head.
HALF TIME: Carlisle 0 – 1 Rochdale
The late flourish from Carlisle in the first half did little to deter Rochdale and they came out firing after the break, as Rodney latched onto the ball after substitute Jack Ellis missed an interception and the ex Vale striker played a lovely ball across to Dieseruvwe who took an excellent first touch into the area to get himself away from Thomas before firing into the bottom left corner to double Rochdale’s lead and bag his 9th goal of the campaign.
Carlisle really struggled in this second half to really lay a glove on Rochdale’s defence and the visitors were in cruise control for large parts, with their first half chance coming in the 77th minute as Linney beat a couple of men and got to the edge of the area but his shot was well blocked by Gordon.
McNulty’s men were really in game management mode towards the end of the half, sitting deep and allowing United to have the ball while keeping them at arm’s length, Carlisle mustered a couple of half chances through Stephen Wearne’s long range efforts along with a ball to the back post from Harper that caused a few nerves as substitutes Georgie Kelly and Junior Luamba attacked it but ultimately it did nothing to take away from what was an excellent performance by Rochdale, and a truly dismal one from Carlisle.
Full Time: Carlisle 0 – 2 Rochdale: Dieseruvwe (6′, 56′)
Carlisle: Breeze, Feeney, Thomas, Mugabi (Davies 61′), Harper, Williams (Luamba 46′), Whelan (Wearne 61′), Gilliead, Macadam (Ellis 46′), Linney, Armstrong (Kelly 61′). Subs Not Used: Lewis, Grant
First of all, i’d like to give full credit to Rochdale, who turned up today and put in a thoroughly excellent display, they moved the ball around quickly and efficiently, stretched us around really well, their defence dealt with our disapppointing long ball game, they worked the ball really well into the channels and Manny Dieseruvwe up front was a handful all game and showed why he’s well up there in the scoring charts.
From a United standpoint though, this was another thoroughly dismal display, if Rochdale were more clinical in the first half then it could easily have been 4 or 5 at half time, yes we had our chance at the end of the first half with Harper but honestly it would have been completely undeserved.
I can see why Hughes switched to 3-5-2 to combat Rochdale but persisting with the lackluster midfield setup and the pairing of Thomas and Mugabi didn’t work at all, we looked incapable of finding any real space to exploit and our passing was seriously shocking. The aimless long balls towards Armstrong were easily dealt with by Rochdale’s back 3 and their defence never really looked unsettled by our attack.
Sadly though this is two consecutive games now where we have really been exposed by the better sides in the league and it’s hard to see us competing with the top outfits with the tactics and squad that we currently have at our disposal. As good as Rochdale and York there we showed them too much respect from minute 1 and failed to unsettle them from their gameplans at the very least, and we just allowed them to totally run rings around us.
If we fail to win on Wednesday against a Hartlepool side that are struggling for form at the moment, we’ll then have very tough games against Scunthorpe and Forest Green that currently i struggle to see us winning, which could lead to a five game winless run that will really see the pressure ramp up on Mark Hughes.
Carlisle Player Ratings:
Breeze – 4: Made a couple of simple saves but his distribution was extremely poor today, not helped by team mates not wanting the ball but his kicking would often sail into touch or totally over the head of the entire team.
Williams – 5: A surprise inclusion to the side, did okay a points and looked quite positive running forward but defensively really struggled.
Feeney – 5: Nice to see him back in the starting lineup but struggled today with the rest of the team, began at RCB and moved to RB before moving back to CB as part of a 2 as the game went on, had a tough game against Dieservuwe and was slow to read a couple of passes.
Mugabi – 6 (MOTM): Tough ask for MoTM today again but i actually thought he did largely ok today, made a couple of vital interceptions, let himself down with a poor ball to Feeney in the first half but probably the least culpable of the backline that got cut open on numerous occasions
Thomas – 4: Gave the ball away on multiple occasions with poor passing and headless runs down the middle of the park and got beaten too easily on the left hand side of our defence, is looking more and more like the player that struggled so much last season too.
Harper – 4: Another poor showing from Harper, really weak in the physical battles with McBride and some erratic passing amounted to a poor game for him, left back is a spot that we really need to address.
Gilliead – 5: Worked hard but struggled to get into the game, part of a midfield setup that was completely ineffective today.
Macadam – 3: Looked totally off it, gave the ball away on multiple occasions through a lack of awareness to put us under pressure and offered nothing going forward either.
Whelan – 4: Looks a shadow of the player that we saw for good parts of last season, doesn’t seem to do as well in the advanced midfield position as he does deeper, but his passing and ball retention was sloppy regardless.
Linney – 5: Again was the only one that really had any flair to make something happen and ask the Rochdale defence questions, but his body language was concerning for the majority of the game, not sure if he’s injured or there’s something else going on but his head didn’t look in it for large parts. Was given the sponsors’ MoTM.
Armstrong – 5: Similarly to York, spent the majority of the game chasing shadows and long balls up front and never really had any chance to impact the game but was also beaten consistently in the air by Ebanks-Landell and the rest of the Rochdale defence.
Subs
Ellis – 5: Was better than Macadam but his poor decision to attempt an interception led to Rochdale’s 2nd goal.
Luamba – 5: Barring a couple of moments late on with Rochdale sitting back, never really influenced the game.
Davies – 6: Tough to judge in the situation he came on in but did okay for the most part, always looks to get forward if nothing else.
Wearne – 6: Needs to play in the 10 spot in the midfield for me, at least had a couple of decent efforts from range and found some decent space but struggled for an end product.
Kelly – 5: Similarly to Armstrong, had very little service and didn’t impact the game at all.
Please note these are Craig’s opinions and nothing official!
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Last night, Carlisle United announced the signing of 29-year-old midfielder Alex Gilliead on loan from Shrewsbury Town.
This is his second spell with the Cumbrians ten years after the first. The midfielder has had spells with Bradford, Scunthorpe, and most recently Shrewsbury since his first spell at Brunton Park.
Today I’m going to look at where Gilliead fits in under Mark Hughes and whether or not there are still positions that need strengthening.
Where Does Gilliead Fit In?
Gilliead is a midfield that will work tirelessly, he will do his defensive duties but mainly he will progress with the ball, carry the ball forward and be good in transition when Carlisle attack.
He can play some key passes in the final third and keep the ball ticking over in the middle of the pitch. The midfielder also has an eye for goal and won’t be shy to shoot if the chance presents itself.
Gilliead is versatile and can play in the centre or can play on either wing and with the games coming thick and fast in the National League versatile players are worth their weight in gold.
I think we will see Alex Gilliead battle with Callum Whelan and Ethan Robson for that “number eight” spot, he can play further forward as well and battle Stephen Wearne and Elliot Embleton for the “number ten” spot as well.
Do Carlisle United Need More Additions?
Personally I would like to see an experienced holding muffler brought it because Harvey Macadam isn’t a player that can just sit and dictate games, Jack Ellis is still learning to play there and will be exposed against good teams and Josh Grant hasn’t impressed so far since he joined in the summer.
I still think maybe another central defender for cover until Morgan Feeney is fully fit wouldn’t be a bad idea, Paul Huntington is a free agent and would do a job short term in my opinion.
Do you think Mark Hughes still needs more players through the door? Please let us know in the comments.
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We are working alongside Liam and his YouTube channel Blue Army TV this season to make sure we bring you the best Carlisle United content we possibly can. You can subscribe to his channel and follow him on X, his handles are below:
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Another partnership Paddock Perception has is with Carlisle United YouTube channel CU04, they have amazing content on their channel and we are looking forward to working with them this season. You can follow them here:
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Thank you everyone for reading Paddock Perception, your support means everything! Please don’t forget you can follow Dan and Craig on X for more football content:
Carlisle suffered their first defeat of the National League season this afternoon as goals from Edon Pruti and David Ogbonna gave Sutton United a 2-1 win to lift them out of the National League relegation zone. The Blues pegged the home side back late on through substitute Georgie Kelly but it proved too little too late for Mark Hughes’ men.
The match started in incredibly tentative fashion, with the visitors controlling large parts of the possession without really threatening the Sutton backline. Luke Armstrong was his usual self and harrying the hosts’ defenders but Steve Morison’s backline stood strong. Sutton’s main threats early on were on the counter attack, with the pace of Brandon Njoku keeping Carlisle’s backline on their toes. Carlisle had the earliest half sights of goal as Regan Linney had a couple of drives at Junior Eccleston but his long range efforts both sailed comfortably over the bar.
Sutton looked to make the most of their forays forward too however as their captain Harry Phipps got in down the inside right channel after a poor clearance from United captain Terrell Thomas but the ex Dagenham man’s cross was easily collected by Gabe Breeze.
Both sides continued trading jabs but neither side could find a decisive blow as Ndjuku continued to harass the visitors’ defence and Callum Whelan won the ball well a couple of times in the midfield area for the home side. Whelan caused more problems in the 33rd minute as his corner wasn’t dealt with well by Sutton, but was eventually cleared following a minor scramble in the area.
Both sides sprung to life in the closing parts of the first half however as Carlisle broke forward in the 39th minute and forced a 3 on 1 opportunity with Luke Armstrong breaking down the right hand side but the ex Harrogate man held onto the ball too long and his eventual pass into Linney was collected too close to Jack Sims for the Cumbrians’ top scorer to make anything of it. Sutton bit back moments later and were almost punished by ghosts of their past as ex Blue Jayden Harris broke the Carlisle offside trap to get away down the left flank before squaring to fellow ex Carlisle man Ashley Nadesan but he somehow poked his shot past the post from just outside the 6 yard box.
Harris was lively again mere minutes later as him and Ndjuku linked up well in the attack before Harris volleyed a shot from just outside the area that was well tipped away by Breeze.
HALF TIME: Sutton United 0 – 0 Carlisle United
After a largely drab opening half, the U’s made sure there would be no repeat in the second, finding an early breakthrough as defender Edon Pruti rose above Carlisle’s defence just outside the 6 yard box to nod home a Jack Wadham corner. Morison’s side were clearly spurred on by this opener and they almost got in behind Carlisle’s backline again with a long ball over the top towards the ever threatening Njoku but Breeze rushed well outside his area quickly enough to stop the ex Cambridge man from getting onto the ball.
The game really turned into an end to end affair from this point however Carlisle were still struggling to create any clear cut openings despite strengthening their forward line after subbing on Georgie Kelly for Whelan, their first half chance of the 2nd half came in the 63rd minute as a Linney effort was well blocked on the edge of the area before falling to Harvey Macadam, but his volleyed effort was put well wide of Sims’ goal. The hosts looked far more likely to bag the next goal and broke forward in the 76th minute after Jack Ellis was brushed off the ball in midfield and Njoku got away down the left flank before slipping the ball inside to Harris, but his shot towards the bottom left corner was well turned away by Breeze.
Morison’s side continued to look for the 2nd goal to seal their first 3 points of the season and Pruti almost doubled his tally, again heading towards goal from a corner but this time seeing his effort tipped away by Breeze. Carlisle weren’t completely out of the game however as a Wearne free kick from the left flank isn’t dealt with by the Sutton defence and the ball fell to Archie Davies inside the area but his shot on the half turn wasn’t strong enough to threaten Sims in the Sutton goal.
The hosts deservedly doubled their advantage moments later as Thomas misjudged the flight of a long ball, allowing substitute David Ogbonna to nip in behind him and dink the ball over the onrushing Breeze’s head to make it 2-0 with just 8 minutes of normal time remaining.
The second goal seemed to inject some life into the Carlisle side and they almost nicked a goal back in the 90th minute as Kelly capitalised on substitute Siju Odelusi’s poor attempt to shield the ball back to Sims, but Carlisle’s number 9 could only stab the ball against the post. Kelly wasn’t to be denied however and he did get a goal back in the 4th minute of added time as a chipped ball in by Thomas found the ex Rotherham man who fired in from close range.
United pressed hard to get a late equaliser and almost found one as a Cameron Harper corner caused chaos in the Sutton area after the initial clearance fell to Stephen Wearne, who volleyed into a crowd of players before the ball was eventually cleared as far as Linney, but the Cumbrians’ top scorer could only again fire over with his left foot from just inside the area as Sutton sealed a deserved 3 points.
FULL TIME: Sutton United 2 – 1 Carlisle United – Pruti (49′), Ogbonna (82), – Kelly (90+4)
This has to be seen as a good couple of steps back for Carlisle and Mark Hughes, after such a convincing 5-0 victory against a Braintree side who had started the season relatively well, to follow it up with a defeat against a Sutton team who had made such a poor start to their campaign is a huge disappointment. Both sides were poor in the first half overall but Sutton came out a much better side in the second whereas Carlisle never really got going until they were already 2 goals behind.
The midfield never really got a good hold of the ball barring the opening few minutes of the game and really struggled to make anything happen going forward either, defensive issues again reared their ugly head as well after two clean sheets, as poor set piece marking and a horrible mistake by Terrell Thomas gifted goals to the home side.
Credit to Sutton and Steve Morison as they played their counter attacking game really well, utilising their pacey forwards, but Carlisle were too easily outfought and while it is their first defeat of the season, they must arrest these inconsistencies if they’re to make a real charge at making a return to League 2, as they have a lot of strong sides charging alongside them.
Carlisle Player Ratings:
Breeze – 7 (MotM): Think he deserves credit as he kept the score down with a couple of really good saves and was decisive to rush off his line to prevent Njoku from getting on the end of a dangerous long ball.
Davies – 5: Struggled with the pace of Njoku and didn’t threaten as much going forward as he has done in prior games, probably needs a natural winger in front of him to link up with.
Mugabi – 6: Didn’t do too much wrong for the most part but will maybe be disappointed to have conceded the opening goal from a corner.
Thomas – 4: Sadly a return to poor form for Thomas, started off positively and won most of his aerial battles but a few poor headed clearances and a woeful mistake for Sutton’s second, continues to struggle with balls over the top.
Harper – 6: Largely quiet game for him, caused trouble with a corner late on, still an argument that Carlisle need to improve in this area.
Macadam – 5: Ineffective most of the game and never really had any impact, surprised he stayed on for as long as he did.
Whelan – 6: The best of United’s midfield, kept possession well when he got on the ball, probably shouldn’t have been subbed off when he was.
Ellis – 6: Worked hard as he always does and broke up the play well a couple of times but still question marks as to whether he should be playing in the midfield consistently.
Linney – 6: Unable to replicate his heroics against Braintree, no shortage of efforts to drive at his man and make something happen but was largely wayward with his shooting.
Wearne – 5: Energetic but sadly mostly anonymous, not quite direct enough with his play to function effectively as a winger in my opinion, needs to play as the tip of a midfield 3 or he seems to struggle to impact the game.
Armstrong – 6: Worked hard and forced a couple of errors from Sutton’s defenders but will be extremely disappointed about his final ball on the counter attack towards the end of the first half.
Subs:
Grant – 5: Didn’t really make a difference, still doesn’t look totally match fit to me.
Kelly – 7: Took him a bit to get going but took his goal well and was United’s main threat in the second half.
Ajiboye – 6: Was positive when he got on the ball, could potentially look at starting him in the next game for more natural width and directness.
Please note these are Craig’s opinions and nothing official!
A Message From Paddock Perception
We are working alongside Liam and his YouTube channel Blue Army TV this season to make sure we bring you the best Carlisle United content we possibly can. You can subscribe to his channel and follow him on X, his handles are below:
X – @blue_army_tv
YouTube – @BlueArmyTVchannel
Another partnership Paddock Perception has is with Carlisle United YouTube channel CU04, they have amazing content on their channel and we are looking forward to working with them this season. You can follow them here:
X – @CU04_YOUTUBE
YouTube – @CU04
Thank you everyone for reading Paddock Perception, your support means everything! Please don’t forget you can follow Dan and Craig on X for more football content:
Carlisle were left frustrated after throwing away a 2 goal lead in the last 15 minutes of their first home game of the season against newly promoted Boreham Wood. The Blues had gone into half time 1-0 down after Luke Norris had put the away side in front, but a strike from substitue Georgie Kelly and two goals from Regan Linney had given Mark Hughes’ side what looked to be a comfortable lead, the Wood didn’t let their heads drop though, and a second from Norris and a late goal from Charlie O’Connell meant Luke Garrard’s side went away from Brunton Park with a share of the spoils.
Carlisle were looking to make it 2 wins out of 2 to kick off their National League campaign following their opening day win away at Woking, however they started the game on the back foot as Boreham Wood moved the ball around and kept possession much better than the home side as United’s midfield struggled to get into the game due to a very direct style of play. Garrard’s side were finding a lot of joy in wide areas with constant switches of play and positive runs from the attacking midfield trio of Erico Susa, Abdul Abdulmalik and Charles Clayden, and were often deploying their weapon of Chris Bush’s long throw from their arsenal.
Despite the visitors’ promising start however, they were struggling to threaten Gabe Breeze’s goal too much, and Carlisle almost took the lead as Aaron Hayden headed just wide from an Elliott Embleton corner, Boreham Wood had their best move of the half moments later however as some intricate play almost played Abdulmalik through on goal but he was stopped by a last ditch challenge from Hayden, the Wood’s number 10 threatened a few moments later as his long range effort forced Breeze to make a relatively comfortable stop.
Mark Hughes’ side did improve slightly as the half went on, and almost found the breakthroough on 39 minutes as another Embleton corner found the head of Armstrong, but his low header was fantastically tipped onto the post by Nathan Ashmore in the Boreham Wood goal. The visitors found their deserved opener just a couple of minutes later however, as a lovely reverse ball on the edge of the area from Souza took Carlisle’s backline out of the game and found Luke Norris, who poked the ball through Breeze’s legs and into the far corner.
Tempers threatened to flare at points in the first half and things almost came to a boiling point as an altercation in the technical area saw Blues’ manager Hughes and a member of the Boreham Wood coaching staff both receive yellow cards.
HALF TIME: Carlisle 0-1 Boreham Wood
Carlisle looked to make an immediate response in the second half, as Hughes’ introduced Georgie Kelly for the largely ineffective David Ajiboye, the ex Rotherham man made an immediate impact, superbly firing into the bottom left corner after some good work from Armstrong forced Boreham Wood’s defence into giving the ball away. Carlisle could well have taken the lead almost immediately as a superb cross from Embleton found Harvey Macadam, but the midfielder somehow fired over from just a few yards out.
United continued to maintain the pressure however, and they took the lead moments later after deft feet from Regan Linney took him round Cameron Coxe before he fired a shot that squirmed past Ashmore to make the score 2-1. The visitors were far from out of the game though and could have equalised shortly after, as United captain Terrell Thomas failed to deal with a long ball over the top and was muscled to the floor by substitute Matt Rush, but the ex Maidstone man dinked his effort just past the far post.
Carlisle remained the better of the two sides in the opening half an hour of the second half, and continued to threaten the visitors’ backline, with Armstrong almost being played in on goal by a great through ball by Callum Whelan, only to be denied by a superb challenge by Charlie O’Connell.
There was nothing anyone could do about the Blues’ third however, as Regan Linney produced a moment of absolute brilliance as he nutmegged his man on the left wing before firing an absolute rocket into the top right corner from 25 yards out to bag his second goal of the game.
The home side should have been comfortable at this point, but Boreham Wood refused to let their heads drop, and a mishit cross from the goalscorer Norris almost looped over Breeze’s head, but he was able to tip the ball over for a corner. The away side refused to be denied however, as a great ball in from O’Connell found Norris in acres of space in the United area, and he easily headed past Breeze to put Boreham Wood well and truly back in the game.
United’s defensive woes continued and 5 minutes later they failed to deal with a free kick to the back post from substitue Tom Whelan, and O’Connell was able to nod in a free header at the backpost to complete the Boreham Wood comeback, much to the chargrin of the 8,500+ Carlisle fans in attendance.
The home side almost found a late winner after a poor clearance allowed Jack Ellis a late chance, but he could only fire his effort over the bar to confirm that Carlisle would have to settle for a share of the spoils.
Boreham Wood: Ashmore, Coxe, O’Connell, Bush, Ilesanmi (Dixon 62′), Reynolds, White, Sousa, Abdulmalik (Rush 56′), Clayden (T. Whelan 56′), Norris (Benton 97′) Subs not used: Henry, King
How Did United Perform?
This game has to be seen as two points dropped for Carlisle, especially after being two goals up with just 15 minutes to play. The alarm bells should be ringing loudly however as we never really got out of the blocks in the first half, and, full credit to Boreham Wood, we let the visitors totally outplay us. Our midfield never really got into the game and David Ajiboye looked totally off the pace, never really showing any of his blistering speed which he was notable for during his time at Sutton.
We certainly improved in the second half and the forwards can take a lot of credit from the game as some superb finishes really should have given us the three points, even Elliot Embleton who was heavily criticised last season has seemingly bucked his ideas up and was a large part of United’s creativity going forward, including two excellent corners that almost led to a goal.
The biggest disappointment though is how we really stopped playing after going 3-1 up and instead of pressing our advantage, we let them get back into the game and some awful defending from Hayden and Thomas at the back allowed the lead to slip away from us. It’s possible that one of the two of them may do ok alongside a different partner, but the combination of the two of them has already proved last season that it just doesn’t work.
Cameron Harper also looked poor, including some wayward balls forward and never really looking comfortable in his defensive work either. Coming off the game the verdict is pretty clear, if we can utilise our quality going forward we’ll have no problem scoring goals, but we desperately need to shore up our defence otherwise we’ll continue to let games like this slip, Morgan Feeney’s return to fitness can’t come soon enough, and Bevis Mugabi should already be asking the question of Hughes as to getting a place in the next starting lineup.
Overall, 4 points from the opening two fixtures certainly isn’t a bad return, but given that Boreham Wood, with all due respect, aren’t one of the heavy hitters in this league, it’s clear that we need to up our game going forward.
Carlisle Player Ratings:
Breeze – 5: Was nutmegged for Boreham Wood’s opener, and conceding 3 goals is always a mark of a tough outing for a goalkeeper.
Ellis – 7: The only defender to really come out of this with any credit, not as good as he was against Woking, but battled well against a tricky opponent in Clayden
Hayden – 5: Made some bizarre decisions at times at the back, and wasn’t aggressive enough in dealing with a lot of the balls that came near him, did make an excellent tackle to stop a BW attack in the first half, though.
Thomas – 4: Really poor, outmuscled too easily on a number of occasions including one that really should have led to the score being 2-2, passive like Hayden and simply nowhere near commanding enough to be captain.
Harper – 5: Poor outing from him, inaccurate passing and nervy defending put the crowd and some of his team mates on edge on a few occasions.
Whelan – 5: Currently looks off his game compared to last season, produced a couple of dangerous through balls but was wasteful in possession and struggled to impact the game especially in the first half.
Macadam – 6: Thought he did ok, was positive in his pressing and controlled the ball quite well for the most part, struggled in the first half similar to Whelan though and should have scored in the second.
Ajiboye – 4: Again, well off the pace, never impacted the game and whenever he touched the ball he lost it, not helped by our long ball game in the first half but just never looked threatening to the away side’s defence.
Embleton – 7: Carlisle’s main creative force in the game, creating two chances from corners in the first half and constantly keeping the ball moving in the attacking third, looks a much better player than last season so far.
Linney – 8 (MOTM): Quiet first half and could be accused of doing a bit too much with the ball at times but two goals largely of his own making more than make up for that, he always looked dangerous when he was on the ball, constantly driving at his full back and causing headaches for Boreham Wood, including an absolute blinder of a second goal.
Armstrong – 7: Cut a frustrated figure in the first half as he struggled to get on the end of a lot of aimless balls forward from United’s backline, but improved after the break and forced a mistake to set up Kelly’s equaliser.
Subs:
Kelly – 7: Made a real difference coming off the bench, taking his goal superbly and holding the ball up well when called upon too, always a real weapon to have in your arsenal.
Robson – 6: Not really on long enough to properly impact the game, did come somewhat close with another free kick
Wearne – 6: Similar to Robson.
Luamba – N/A: Should have been on earlier.
Please note that these are Craig’s opinions and nothing official!
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Carlisle United today announced the signing of the versatile 26 year old Josh Grant. Grant, who spent the 2024/25 season playing for now fellow National League side Wealdstone, has joined the Blues on a 1 year contract following a trial spell having turned down a new deal with the Stones.
Grant spent 13 years in the youth setup at Chelsea and represented England at U18 and U20 level, having loan spells in the EFL with Yeovil and Plymouth before joining League One side Bristol Rovers on a 3 year contract, he went on to make 101 appearances for the Gas, scoring 5 goals in the process.
Grant is regarded as a dynamic and versatile player who can operate in both defense and midfield, and will add some much needed competition in these areas for United in the upcoming National League season
Head of Football Operations, Marc Tierney said: “Josh is a dynamic and versatile midfielder who brings valuable EFL experience to Brunton Park, as well as having previously represented Chelsea at youth level.
“After an impressive week training with the squad, he’s already making his mark and is an exciting new addition to the team.”
Head of Recruitment, Martin Foyle said: “I’ve watched Josh over the years and he has the quality to take us back to the level where we want to be. Now we have real competition for places in the midfield area.
“We’re all looking forward to working with Josh and we’re delighted to have got this deal over the line.”
What Will Josh Grant bring to Carlisle?
Grant strikes me as an interesting signing, after having spent a good period of time at Bristol Rovers and largely being well thought of at the Memorial Stadium, he eventually dropped down to National League level to play for Wealdstone as they endured a tough 2024/25 campaign, finishing just above the drop zone in 20th. Wealdstone supporters have largely expressed their disappointment at his departure however, indicating that Grant may have been one of the shining lights in the side despite their struggles.
Grant comes in as the type of player that Carlisle will benefit from however, with the club lacking real depth in the middle of the park following the departures of Callum Guy, Josh Vela and Taylor Charters, as well as Sean Fusire returning to Sheffield Wednesday and Will Patching being loaned out to Coleraine.
Grant’s versatility could be a big asset to the Blues next season too, with his ability to also slot into defensive areas too if the need arises, his previous EFL experience is also a bonus and will make an extension enticing should Carlisle be able to make the swift return to League 2 that they’re aiming for.
We at Paddock Perception would like to offer Josh a warm welcome and wish him a thoroughly successful spell at the club.
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